Published: Monday, July 8, 2013 at 12:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 5, 2013 at 3:32 p.m.

A quest to learn more brought a mother and daughter closer as they earned master's degrees in dyslexia therapy.

Becky Hightower, 56, and Rachel Ward, 32, graduated from Mississippi College on May 10.

"Hallelujah! I enjoyed it. It was good to have someone to do it with," Hightower said.

"I feel like I did when I graduated from college," Ward said. "I learned some things but still have some things to learn."

They began their journey in April 2011, traveling to Mississippi every other month on weekends and for two weeks in the summertime. They flew, drove and stayed together, however they did not do homework together because they had different studying skills. Out of all the other students, they were the ones traveling the farthest.

"I was excited about it," Hightower said about the beginning of the process.

Her daughter jokingly added, "My mom hadn't asked about my homework since I was in the second grade. I don't remember the last time we spent that much time together. I learned a lot about my mom."

Hightower, a teacher for more than 20 years, has an elementary education degree from Tennessee Temple University. Hightower always said that if she furthered her education, she wanted it to be for something useful. She has taught at Sheets Memorial Christian School, Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem and at Union Grove Christian School in the past.

Her interest in dyslexia sparked from her son, Jonathan Hightower, 27. Even though he was intelligent, no one knew for years that he had dyslexia, and she didn't know how to help him or other students, Hightower said.

"There wasn't the research back then that is out there now," she said. "You have to look at every individual child … their strengths and weaknesses. You have to get to know kids and realize they learn different."

Hightower works as a independent contractor at Union Grove helping students with dyslexia. She said the basis of her job is completing assessments and trying to determine what the student may be missing in the classroom. She is married to Dan Hightower, who is the assistant administrator of Union Grove Christian School and the principal of the elementary school.

Ward is a dyslexia therapist at Calvary Baptist Church. Ward, who graduated from Sheets Memorial Christian School in 1999, received an undergraduate degree in Bible and sociology from Columbia International University in 2003. She has plans to pursue her doctorate. Ward is married to Brent and has a 9-year-old daughter, Janaa.

"I never thought the paper degree was as important as the information I learned," she said. "I wanted to learn something I knew would help my kids. Most kids do have issues with reading, spelling and language. Without help, (they) don't become fluent."

Her journey to obtain the master's was to be more efficient to help students. For years, she researched different programs to learn more. She had plans to attend graduate school but was unsure of what program she was going to pursue.

Although Ward had taught for a few years at SMCS she didn't want to work in a school or in education because she thought the set-up or teaching style did not fit everyone.

Ward's brother was also a major factor for her wanting to learn more about dyslexia.

"I saw a lot of Christian schools didn't know what to do with these kids," she said. "It was a big gap to fill. I watched how many kids left angry. I saw how many kids struggled."

Hightower and Ward agree that the degree has helped them understand their family a lot better. They report that Jonathan is doing well in his adult life.

"At first it was overwhelming," Ward said. "We never spent that much one-on-one (time) together. I was a daddy's girl. The really cool thing is mom had a good education perspective, and I had a scientific perspective. Mom is a better therapist because that's what she's done for 20-something years. It has been a great growth experience for us."

Deneesha Edwards can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 213, or at deneesha.edwards@the-dispatch.com.

<p>A quest to learn more brought a mother and daughter closer as they earned master's degrees in dyslexia therapy.</p><p>Becky Hightower, 56, and Rachel Ward, 32, graduated from Mississippi College on May 10.</p><p>"Hallelujah! I enjoyed it. It was good to have someone to do it with," Hightower said.</p><p>"I feel like I did when I graduated from college," Ward said. "I learned some things but still have some things to learn."</p><p>They began their journey in April 2011, traveling to Mississippi every other month on weekends and for two weeks in the summertime. They flew, drove and stayed together, however they did not do homework together because they had different studying skills. Out of all the other students, they were the ones traveling the farthest. </p><p>"I was excited about it," Hightower said about the beginning of the process.</p><p>Her daughter jokingly added, "My mom hadn't asked about my homework since I was in the second grade. I don't remember the last time we spent that much time together. I learned a lot about my mom." </p><p>Hightower, a teacher for more than 20 years, has an elementary education degree from Tennessee Temple University. Hightower always said that if she furthered her education, she wanted it to be for something useful. She has taught at Sheets Memorial Christian School, Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem and at Union Grove Christian School in the past. </p><p>Her interest in dyslexia sparked from her son, Jonathan Hightower, 27. Even though he was intelligent, no one knew for years that he had dyslexia, and she didn't know how to help him or other students, Hightower said.</p><p>"There wasn't the research back then that is out there now," she said. "You have to look at every individual child … their strengths and weaknesses. You have to get to know kids and realize they learn different."</p><p>Hightower works as a independent contractor at Union Grove helping students with dyslexia. She said the basis of her job is completing assessments and trying to determine what the student may be missing in the classroom. She is married to Dan Hightower, who is the assistant administrator of Union Grove Christian School and the principal of the elementary school.</p><p>Ward is a dyslexia therapist at Calvary Baptist Church. Ward, who graduated from Sheets Memorial Christian School in 1999, received an undergraduate degree in Bible and sociology from Columbia International University in 2003. She has plans to pursue her doctorate. Ward is married to Brent and has a 9-year-old daughter, Janaa.</p><p>"I never thought the paper degree was as important as the information I learned," she said. "I wanted to learn something I knew would help my kids. Most kids do have issues with reading, spelling and language. Without help, (they) don't become fluent."</p><p>Her journey to obtain the master's was to be more efficient to help students. For years, she researched different programs to learn more. She had plans to attend graduate school but was unsure of what program she was going to pursue. </p><p>Although Ward had taught for a few years at SMCS she didn't want to work in a school or in education because she thought the set-up or teaching style did not fit everyone. </p><p>Ward's brother was also a major factor for her wanting to learn more about dyslexia.</p><p>"I saw a lot of Christian schools didn't know what to do with these kids," she said. "It was a big gap to fill. I watched how many kids left angry. I saw how many kids struggled."</p><p>Hightower and Ward agree that the degree has helped them understand their family a lot better. They report that Jonathan is doing well in his adult life.</p><p>"At first it was overwhelming," Ward said. "We never spent that much one-on-one (time) together. I was a daddy's girl. The really cool thing is mom had a good education perspective, and I had a scientific perspective. Mom is a better therapist because that's what she's done for 20-something years. It has been a great growth experience for us."</p><p>Deneesha Edwards can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 213, or at deneesha.edwards@the-dispatch.com.</p>